Vehicle-wheel.



N0. 895,127. PATENTED AUG. 4, 1908. G. G. TRANNOY.

VEHICLE WHEEL. 4 APPLIOATIO 'ILBD HAY 31, 190i.

INVENTO? GBRIEL GASTON TRANNOY, O? CHARENTON, FRANCE.

VElanciati-vrq :ann

Specification o! Lenz-.srs Patent.

Patented ang. 4, 1908.

Application led May 31, lli. Serial No. 319,633.

T o all whom 'it Imay concern:

Be it known that I, GABRIEL GASTON TREXXOY, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at. Charenton, De artment of the Seine. F rance, have invente certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-lliheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in vehicle wheels and more particularly in that class which are provided with resilient meansfor taking u or lessening the shocks due tol contact wit obstructions and nnevenness `in the road way so 'as to lessen the strains whi h would otherwise be imposed upon the ve ticle, and the object of the invention is toprovide a wheel of this general character of a ksimple and comparatively inexpensive nature\and of a strong and compact construction .wherein the resilient means are so arranged as to facilitate the starting and stopping of\'tl1e vehicle, and whereby the liability of breakage or derangement of the parts during use o the improved wheel is materially lessened. fbx

T he invent-ion consists in certain novel features of the construction, and combinations and arrangements of the several parts of the improved vehicle wheel, whereby certain important advantages are attained, and the vehicle wheel is rendered simpler, cheaper and otherwise better adapted and more convenienr for use, all as will behereinafter full \u :wt forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims. In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate my invention-Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a wheel embodying nl v improvements; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken' transversely through the wheel in the piene indicated b v the line a--ain Fig. J Fign a partial side view of the inner member of the improved wheel, and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken in the plane indicated "o v line b-l) in Fig. 1 and showing certain features of construction to be hereinafter referral to.

s shown in these views l re resents the outer rim portion of the improve( wheel, said rim *Martien being herein shown as made in the torni of a circular band or annulus of metsi having a grooved perimeter 2 adapted to receive a rubber or other tire in' a well known wav' and being provided with a thin centrally arranged and inwardly directed annrrnar flange or web portion 3 mtegrally proy dzneed upon and extended around 1t.

4 represent circular members, of flattened metal, the outer edge portions of which are itted'inside of the run portion 1, beingr secfnred flush upon opposite sides of the we porri-ion or [lange 3 thereof by means of rivets 5c t: r like fastenings. these side members 4, 4 are held spaced apart fronn each other by means of s )acing devices 6',4 fil extended across the space etween them at suitable points, bolts 7, 7 being passed tl m'nigh the said members and spacinv deas clearly shown in Fig. 2 to hold the aras in secure relation.

.ist suitable points the respective side members 4, 4 have registering apertures S, 8 producfed in them, and said apertures are so disposed in the said members as to produce at the central portion of each member portions 5)-r i extendedat angles to each other somewlnm alter the fashion of the spokes of an ordinrnrv wheel. Each side member 4 is also provided with a cent-ral circular aperture 10, coincentric with the rim portion 1 of the imprrzved wheel and ada )ted for the passage of the hub 11 which, as licrcin shown is of less dimneter than said central apertures 10, 10 so :as to permit of a certain extent of movemean without contact u on the side membecs such as is'required Aor the operation of theresilient devices of the improved wheel as v.will be hereinafter explained.

t2 represents an inner disk-like member alst;` formed fromllat. metal of a thickness permitting it to be held loosely between the span-cd inner portions of the side members t.. and ol' a diameter less than the inner dianneter of the flange or web )ortion 3 ofthe portion 1 so that when t-lie parts of the n; moved wheel are in relation, the erimetral eliges of said inner disk-like mem er 12 are I. :fs-ated from the inner edge surfaces of the i' portion 3, by an annular space extended ly around the wheel. n ne inner disk-like member 12 hasa centra; circular o )ening 14 of a diameter to fit snugly upon tlie hub l1 when the parts are hun whcreon the weight of the vehicle is, of curarse, imposed, whereby the said disk-like ine-aber is caused to slide between the spaced snimembers 4, 4 and said disk-like member l'l is provided with suitably arranged circu- The cent-ral portions ofl Ilation so that said disk-like member is`\ cinesi-d to partake of the movement of the 1d5\ lar apertures 15 through which the spacing devices 6, 6 are passed, said apertures 15 beingof sufficient diameter to permit free movement of the disk-like member in unison with the hub ll.

The thickness of the disk-like member 12 is less than that of the chamber or space separating the side niembeis 4,4,.and at opposite sides of said disk-like member there are secured suitably arranged wearing strips 12a, of bronze or the like which are adapted for sliding contact upon the inner surfaces of the spokedike portions S), 9 of the side members when the parts are assembled, in such a way as to prevent lateral movement of the disklike member 12 and at the saine tinie lessen the friction which would be presen*` were said member 12 adapted for contact upon the entire surfaces of the portions 9, 9.

Upon opposite sides of the wheel are arranged casings 1G, 16 each of which has a. laterally directed cent-ral portion provided with a chamber or recess upon its inne: side and securely fitted upon an end ofthe hub 11 outside of the corresponding side member 4, and one of said casings has connection b v means of bolts 17 or the like, as shown in Fig. 4, with a flange produced around the end of said hub 11. As herein shown, a driving wheel 1S and brake drum 19 are also secured upon one of the easings so as to permit the driving and brake mechanisms to operate atv the wheel in a weil known way.

The respective casings havef arms 20 which are extended within certain of the apertures 8, S of the respective side members 4,11 and have their extremities fitted flush upon tlze opposite side surfaces of the inner disk-like member 12, as clearly shown at 21. bolts 22 or the like being passed through said extremities of the arms 2t) of said casings and through `said disk-like member 12 in order to secure the parts in relation.

At the registering apertures 8 produced in the o posite side meinbeis of the improved whee there are arranged spiral springs 23, of which two are provided at each pair of registering apertures, the said springs being arranged to bridge or extend across the annular space separating the web portion 3 cf the wheel rim from the inner disk-like member 12 and having their outer ends secured to said portion while their inner ends aie connected with projections upon the sides of the disk-like member 12 in such a way as to afford resilient connections for hoiding the inner disk-like member 12 and the iiub 11 elastically supported within the wheel rim during use of the improved wheel.

By this arrangement of the parts it will be seen that shocks due to inequalities in the roadway or obstructions encountered b v the tire are absorbed and equalized b v tiie spring and are not transmitted to the vehicle, and conserpiently the liability to breakage of the parts and `\disagreeable journeying of the ve' hicle when driven over rough road \va 's is greatl)Y lessened, the side members` 4, 4 playl ing along the sides of the disk-like member 1 and serving to prevent lateral movement of the parts and also to take up the stress which would otherwisebe imposed upon the spi-ings in case the wheel sl-ioii d skid or slip laterally of the roadway.

l The inA )ioved "vehicle wheel constructed according to my invention is of an extremel r simple andv comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by lreason of the strength and compactness of its construction and also by reason of the fact that the employment of the resilient devices permits the strains at stopping and starting to be equalized so that liability of` breakage due to the sudden imposition of such strains is practically avoided.

5 It will also be seen that the portions 24 of the members 4, 4 through which the bolts 7 are passed are adapted, ni case of excessive turning of the disk-like membei`\ 12 relative to said side members 4, -f to contact with the arms 20, 20 of the casings 16*16 in such a. way as to form stops to prevent further :"elative. movement of the paits,`aiid in this way such relative movement is confined within the limit of tensible movement of the springs so that the liabilitjv of breakage or distortion of the springs due to such excessive movement is effectively prevented.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat.-

1. A vehicle wheel comprising a rim portion having side members projecting inwart'lly around it and spaced apart to produce a chamber between them, a hub having a disk-like member projecting in annular arrangement from it and fitted for cdge'wise sliding movement in said chamber, springs affording connection between said disk-like member and the rini portion, said disk-like member being of less thickness than the chamber between the side members, and wearing plates of anti-friction metal held upon and projectingfrom the opposite faces o the inner faces ofthe side members t0 hold the disk like member out of contact with said side members. 2. A vehicle wheel comprising a rim portion having side members projecting inwardly around it and spaced apart to produce a chamber between them, a hub having a disk-like member projecting from its central part and `fitted for edgewise sliding movement in said chamber, springs affording connectioii between said disk-like member and the. rim portion, said side members being provided with apertures, aiid casings surrounding the opposite, ends of the hub outside. of

the side members and having parts extended the disk-like member and contacting with 115 vthrough the apertures in said side members .i'ardly around it and spaced apart to produce a chamber between them, a hub having a disk-like member projectingr from its central partI and 'fitted for edgewise sliding movement in said chamber, said 'side members having apertures produced in them communicating with the Chamber wherein the disklike member is fitted and at which the opposite sides of the said disk-like member are eX- posed, and spiral springs arranged 1n said' ing .the disk-iike member with the rim por-` tion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed i my name this 4th day of' May 1906, inthe presence of tivo subscribing witnesses.

GABRIEL GASTON TRANNOY.

'Wit-nesses:

JULES ARMENGAUD, Jeune,

H iNsoN C. Coxn.

i i i i i i i e i apertures. of the side members and connect- 15` 

